Near-complete Windows 8 build coming in June, no word on release date

Microsoft will offer a “release preview” version of its highly anticipated new operating system Windows 8 in early June, according to Windows unit President Steven Sinofsky, who spoke at a company event in Japan today.

Microsoft has already released two versions of the OS for testing, with the latest being the Consumer Preview in February. We still don’t know how long Microsoft is planning to wait before pushing out the final version to retail shelves. Earlier reports have said that the final release date could be as far out at October — something I found a bit odd considering how much ground Microsoft has already lost to Apple and Google in the way of PC-to-mobile integrated services.